Updated on: 26 July, 2021 11:32 AM IST |

10 Actors in Bollywood who started from the Ramp

Quite literally, Anushka had no intentions of becoming an actress. She was content being a model and actually aspired to become a journalist. After graduation, the actress moved from Bangalore to Mumbai and enrolled herself in Elite Model Management. Acting came as a calling when Anushka realized that while modelling, she could not maintain a straight face but was very emotive. A chance screen test for Rab Ne Bana De Jodi sealed her fate as one of the leading ladies of Bollywood today.

As a socially awkward kid, Deepikas decision to become an actor did surprise her parents. But they did not stop her from pursuing her dreams. Deepika gained recognition with a television commercial for a bath soap, and modelled for various other brands and products. In 2005, she made her runway debut at the Lakme Fashion Week for designer Suneet Varma, and won the "Model of the Year" award at the Kingfisher Fashion Awards. A successful model career followed and she featured in a music video for Himesh Reshammiyas Naam Hai Tera. Director Farah Khan took notice of the leggy lass and the rest as they, is history. Really, thank you Farah.

Katrina is certainly a self-made woman. At the tender age of fourteen, she won a humble beauty pageant that fetched her a few modelling assignments to keep her family afloat. It was during a London-based fashion show that director Kaizad Gustaad spotted her and casted her in his Boom. Although the film was a complete failure, it fetched Katrina more modelling assignments in India, thanks to her incredibly good looks. And then, Salman Khan came to her rescue and gave us a bankable leading lady in Katrina.

Basu was spotted by model Mehr Jesia -Arjun Rampals wife at a hotel in Kolkata who suggested she take up modelling. In 1996, she won the Godrej Cinthol Supermodel Contest and the Ford Models Supermodel of the World contest. Since then she began a successful modelling career at the age of 17 before her debut with Abbas Mustans Ajnabee opposite Akshay Kumar. Though she was not touted as a great actor, Bips did taste enough success and gained the sex symbol tag among the men.

Way before her Miss World days, PeeCee started off as a model in her teens whilst still studying in Mumbai. From humble beginnings to dining with Obama today, Piggy Chops rise to stardom is an inspirational story in itself.

Before he assisted on the sets of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehras Aks, Kunal modelled for a brief while. In 2004, he made his debut with Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities and then created a storm with Rang De Basanti. With chocolate-boy looks and killer locks, he leaves womankind smitten like young school girls.

This Jatta da Chora from Haryana can make women go weak in the knees with his irresistible good looks and rugged charm. He began his career with modelling and also dabbled with theatre. Inspite of a successful debut in Mira Nairs Monsoon Wedding, things did not work in his favour till Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai resurrected him to fame. Since then, he has been unstoppable.

An eye candy for girls across the country, Sidharth got his Bollywood break as an assistant director on the sets of Karan Johars My Name Is Khan. Prior to that, he was one of the most successful models on the runway who had walked the ramp for leading fashion designers across the country. His dream debut with Student of The Year gave us a promising actor in him, and he went on to follow that with Hasee Toh Phasee, Ek Villain and the very recent, Kapoor and Sons.

His oozing masculinity and infectious smile can kill you, for sure. A winner of the Gladrags Manhunt Contest, John held a successful modelling stint till Bollywood came calling with Jism in 2003. He became an overnight rage with Dhoom though. Although his Bollywood career was not highly spoken about, his stint as a producer has seen him back up good content-driven movies as Vicky Donor and Madras Caf.

He started off as a supermodel and was a popular face among the modelling circuit. Initially dissed for his acting abilities, Rampal stayed put to turn around and belt fine performances in Don, Om Shanti Om and Rock On. Today he is known as one of the most charming actors of B-Town

Whoever said that successful models cannot make great actors should immediately refer to this gallery to know better. Take a look at ten actors who started from modelling but are now immensely successful in showbiz.